Muhammadu Buhari was a Nigerian soldier and politician who ruled as military head of state from 1983 to 1985 and served as elected President from 2015 to 2023. This neutral biography covers his early life, education, military career, political runs, presidency and later life, based on published reports.
Editorial note: last checked on 25 October 2026. This profile does not endorse any party. See also our profile of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who succeeded him.
Buhari at a glance
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 December 1942, Daura, now Katsina State |
| Died | 13 July 2025, in London, aged 82, as reported; buried in Daura on 15 July 2025 |
| Education | Katsina Middle/Provincial Secondary School; Mons Officer Cadet School, England; US Army War College (master’s in Strategic Studies) |
| Military | Commissioned 1963; Major General; GOC 3rd Armoured Division |
| Offices | Head of state 1983 to 1985; President 29 May 2015 to 29 May 2023 |
Early life and military career
Buhari was born in Daura; his father died when he was about four. After school in Katsina he joined the Nigerian Military Training College in 1962 and trained in England. He fought in the Nigerian Civil War and held several divisional commands. Between 1975 and 1978 he served as governor of North-Eastern State and then Borno, and as Federal Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources, and he chaired the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. He later chaired the Petroleum Trust Fund under Sani Abacha, where critics questioned the share of resources allocated to the military.
Head of state, 1983 to 1985
He took power in a coup on 31 December 1983 that ended the Second Republic and ruled until 27 August 1985, when he was overthrown by Ibrahim Babangida. He was then detained until December 1988.
Presidential runs and election
He ran for president in 2003, 2007 and 2011 and lost each time. In 2015, as the APC candidate, he defeated incumbent Goodluck Jonathan, the first time a sitting president lost re-election in Nigeria, and was sworn in on 29 May 2015. In 2019 he was re-elected, defeating Atiku Abubakar.
Presidency, 2015 to 2023
Key events reported include a recession in 2016, the launch of the National Social Investment Programme in 2016, the release of Chibok schoolgirls in 2016 and 2017, extended medical leave in London including a 51-day absence in 2017, the disbanding of the SARS police unit in October 2020 after the End SARS protests, and a Twitter ban from June 2021 to January 2022. He handed power to Bola Tinubu on 29 May 2023 and returned to Daura.
Family
He married Safinatu Yusuf in 1971 (divorced 1988) and later Aisha Halilu. Published sources say he had ten children. His nephew is Mamman Daura.
Frequently asked questions
When was Buhari president of Nigeria?
As military head of state from 1983 to 1985, and as an elected president from 2015 to 2023.
Who succeeded Buhari?
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, sworn in on 29 May 2023.
How did he become president in 2015?
He won the election as the APC candidate, defeating the incumbent Goodluck Jonathan.
